Unworthy
by mira-miele
Summary: From the prompt Optimus/Skywarp: unworthy. Prime tries to convince Skywarp that the Autobots are right. Skywarp works just as hard to convince Prime that being right and being worthy are not always the same.


Hi again!

This is in answer to one of the winners of my 'pick a prompt' poll from way back when. The Prompt was Optimus/Skywarp: unworthy. I feel like I stretched the concept to the breaking point.

Warnings: OOCness abounds. Skywarp having a profound moment. Not seen by a Beta. And, done between a two hour class break. That's about all.

* * *

Optimus Prime's office

Optimus Prime and Prowl had been working in relative silence for the last fifteen minutes. Each were reviewing the various reports that just needed to be done or else the entire army would fall apart.

"Are you positive you want to do this?" Prowl's question broke the silence.

Optimus Prime barely repressed the uncharacteristic urge to snap at his SIC. Prowl had asked that same question in varying forms many times over the last two hours. "As I have explained before this may be our best chance to turn the seekers from Megatron. Or at least work out why they are so dedicated to him."

"You of course realized that Skywarp is the most dedicated seeker of all," Prowl responded. He was still as uncomfortable as he was when this whole discussion started. He wasn't like Starscream, who sought to overthrow Megatron at every turn. Nor was he like Thundercracker, who seemed fairly ambivalent to either side. Skywarp seemed sparked to be a Decepticon.

"Yes, and I also realize he isn't the brightest of Megatron's followers either. Hopefully, we can use that to our advantage," Considering that to be the final word on the subject Optimus turned his attention back to his report. Silence returned once again.

Another five minutes later the silence departed just as quickly. "Don't let that fact mislead you. Just because he wouldn't be able to hold his own in a debate with Perceptor does not mean he lacks cunning."

"Prowl, have faith. I have thought about this even before we managed to get one of the Elite Trine. I know there is a better chance of this failing than working, but this is something we have to do."

Prowl studied his leader's faceplates for a few moments before coming to a sudden revelation. "There's something you aren't saying."

Optimus had the good graces to look a little ashamed at having not been one-hundred percent open with his subordinate. "Yes there is. It's something Skyfire told me a few months after he first joined us."

"Which was?" Prowl frowned. He thought he had been informed of all the intelligence Skyfire had provided regarding his old partner.

"He told me he couldn't understand why Starscream remained with Megatron after seeing the way he was treated on the battlefield." Optimus' tank still churned when thought back to that particular battle. As usual, the Autobots were victorious and Megatron and Starscream were blaming each other. Predictably Megatron pulled his fusion cannon and took aim. However, this time he didn't just threaten his wing commander, but shot him dangerously close to his spark.

"That's no great mystery. Starscream craves leadership of the Decepticons," Prowl answered. "Are you telling me that Skyfire witnessing a battlefield disagreement between those two are the basis of this fool's errand?" Prowl remembered that battle as well. Even he had been unsettled by the violence. A feeling he found ironic since they were in the middle of a war.

"No. What mystified Skyfire was the fact Thundercracker and Skywarp allowed that to happen. Apparently, they were notoriously overprotective of each other when Skyfire knew them. They never would allow anything like that to happen. Not willingly."

"And that means?" Prowl thought he knew where this whole revelation was leading, but wanted to be sure.

"Something is keeping them there. If we can figure out what that is maybe we can free them of it," Optimus answered honestly. "We can give them what they are apparently lacking."

"What, a happy home? Make them Autobots?" Prowl kept the sarcasm in his voice to a minimum. Optimus wouldn't be Optimus if he wasn't so kind and hopeful.

"No. I want to give them a choice as to what side they wish to be on." He could only hope they would choose wisely.

* * *

Skywarp stared at the floor feeling bored. After insulting the two idiot twins assigned guard duty and driving the golden one off in a huff (Skywarp had merely suggested Sideswipe had a better paint job, then Tracks, then the teleporter listed every other Autobot he could name) there was precious little to do for entertainment. He just hoped his next guard was the gunner who couldn't shut up for more than a klik. If he was really lucky he could make that one cry.

He knew he was going to be a "guest" of the Autobots for the foreseeable future. Megatron would not be too happy about the failed raid and it would take time for him calm down enough to either negotiate terms of release or plan a breakout. He just hoped Screamer had enough commonsense to stay off Megatron's radar until then. An unlikely event.

He heard the red twin leave and someone new enter. He looked up ready to emotionally abuse, but whatever he was going to say died on his vocalizer. Instead of the foot soldier he expected the Matrix-bearer himself stood there. Well, this was interesting. "Special occasion?"

"You could say that. Members of the Elite Trine are not easily caught," Optimus replied. "We were fortunate Smokescreen's bomb disoriented you enough that we could make the capture."

"Got lucky is all. Enjoy that victory because it won't happen again," Skywarp turned his gaze back toward the floor. In truth his pride was a little damaged at having crashed. It would be awhile before his trinemates let him live that one down.

"Yes, we certainly did. I'd like to ask you a few questions," Optimus said. "Since this may very well be our only chance," he added. Secretly he was amused by the dirty look Skywarp shot him.

"I'm not telling you a thing. Besides, I'm kinda out of the loop with our plans. Starscream only tells me what I need to know," Skywarp lied easily. Starscream would tell them every detail of every plan of Megatron's. That way they could work out the best course of action when a particular plan blew up in the Decepticons' collective faceplates.

"I'm not here to ask about Megatron's plans."

That startled Skywarp enough that he looked up from the floor. "Then what are you going to ask?"

"Why did you side with Megatron?" Optimus asked. On the way to the brig he had flirted with various ideas as to what approach he should use. He finally settled on straightforward and direct.

"Here it comes," Skywarp groaned in derision. "I can't believe you actually do this in reality."

"What do you mean?"

"Here comes the big speech about how the Autobots are all that is right and good, blah blah blah. Save the speech I already know the big finish." Skywarp had thought that the 'Come Play With Us' speech, as Dead End had once dubbed it, was just a legend. Something to keep naïve Decepticons up at night.

"Which is?" Optimus sounded puzzled. Was he really that predictable when it came to prisoners? It wasn't like he tried to show every Decepticon prisoner the right path. Just a large number of them. It came with being the Matrix-bearer.

"You're going to try to talk me into switching sides. Ain't gonna happen." Even if he wanted to change sides, which he wouldn't ever, it wasn't his decision alone. "Even if your side is the 'right' one."

"I didn't ask that question to set up a speech. I am really curious as to why you have aligned yourself with Megatron," Optimus needed to get the conversation back on track. Skywarp just stared at him for a long moment. Just when Optimus was starting to worry that no answer would be forthcoming Skywarp started to speak.

"I know what you expect me to say. You want me to say it's all about the power and glory of the Decepticon cause. That I believe in all that slag Megatron goes on and on about. But, I don't," here Skywarp paused. He debated with himself exactly how much to reveal.

Finally, he decided to tell-all as it were. He had waited a long time for an opportunity like this one. To lay into and shred any of the self-righteous Autobots. To shatter their self-delusions. The fact that it would be Prime himself was just an extra bonus. A really nice extra bonus.

"Truth is, I'd probably be wearing your insignia if things had gone differently. I'd be pulling pranks with those twins and TC would be helping Prowl come up with a brilliant plan to retake Cybertron, that is if it had fallen in the first place. Starscream...well Starscream would be your top scientist. He'd be working on some invention to end this war with minimum loss of life."

Optimus didn't interrupt no matter how badly he wanted to. He was worried that if he did Skywarp would never reveal his full motivations.

"But things didn't go differently. We didn't 'side' with Megatron. He was the only option available and we took it."

"You can't be serious. You would have been a welcomed asset to the Autobot cause," Prime couldn't stop himself from interrupting. Flyers, especially seekers, were much sought after in the early stages of the war. It was understood that the tactical advantage lay in the air.

Skywarp gave a bitter laugh. "Oh, I know that, Prime. Recruiters for both sides were always coming to Vos. What I meant was there was absolutely no chance of us becoming Autobots. Ever. And, after it became impossible to remain neutral we went to the only side we could."

"What made that the only choice?"

"Earth," Skywarp replied simply. He then sat back to see if the Prime was going to catch on.

Optimus was thoroughly mystified. For a moment he wondered if Skywarp was just pulling some kind of prank. But, the black and purple seeker seemed serious. What did a planet that they didn't know about until very recently have to do with anything? Maybe he should comm Skyfire and ask the shuttle if he knew why their adopted home would have led the trine to Megatron.

Then the answer struck him. Skyfire. More to the point Skyfire and Starscream's treatment by Cybertron's government after he returned without his partner. The seeker was judged harshly by those in power and shown no mercy.

Something must have shown on his face even with his mask because Skywarp took the chance to speak again. "I see you worked it out. There was no way we could go to a side that had so carelessly hurt one of us. Besides, being Decepticons we get to dish out a little payback for those same hurts. Over and over again."

"Forgive me for asking, but shooting Starscream point-blank isn't hurting him?" Optimus' processor was reeling. Sure, the council might (okay did) inflict emotional damage on Starscream, but could that really compare to what Megatron did?

"That was an unfortunate accident. Megatron got carried away and lost concentration for a moment," Skywarp waved a hand in dismissal.

"Unfortunate accident?" disbelief crept into Prime's voice.

"Yup. 'Wave commed Megs at the wrong moment and startled him. It was a tense situation."

Optimus only stared at the seeker. Could Skywarp's logic really be that twisted?

"Besides, TC and I had a long talk with Megs. He knows next time to not aim the cannon anywhere near Starscream." By 'talk' Skywarp actually meant they came close to threatening to off-line their leader. Megatron respected them enough that he didn't deactivate them for the threat and he also promised to show more caution in the future.

"The way Megatron treats Starscream..."Optimus trailed off. None of this was making sense to him.

"What you see on the battlefield, the yelling and occasional shoving, are usually the worst of it. Typical of you Autobots to only see what you want to," Skywarp scoffed. "Not to say that Screamer doesn't stage a coup every now and then. Everybot needs a hobby."

Realizing that his objective had failed, Optimus just had a few more questions and then he would leave. "So, Starscream's emotional distress of long ago is justification for everything you have done in this war?"

"Sins of the father," Skywarp offered. This was the part he had wanted to confront an Autobot with for a long time now. This would be the moment he tore away at an Autobot. Even if it was only a little bit it would be enough.

"Excuse me?"

"It's a squishy saying. It means...."

"I know what it means. I'm just surprised you've heard of it," Optimus cut in. He doubted there was a lot of Bible reading on the Nemesis.

"What can I say? Sometimes monitor duty is boring and I swim the web," Skywarp shrugged.

"Surf the web," Optimus corrected automatically. "Basically, your trine is a monster of our own making?"

Skywarp nodded. "Just remember that every time one of us sends one of you to the Matrix. Remember when I agreed your side was the right one?" He waited for Optimus to nod before continuing. "Being right and being worthy are sometimes two separate things."

* * *

Prowl looked up from his report when Optimus reentered the office. "I take it it didn't go well?"

"I'm starting to think we were wrong," Optimus said after dropping into his chair.

"About?"

"I don't think Skywarp is as lacking in intelligence as we thought," Optimus retracted his mask and picked up a cube of energon.

"How so?" Prowl set aside his report. He was curious as to what exactly happened in the brig.

Optimus told Prowl everything that had been said by both parties. When he finished he leaned back in his chair and waited for his SIC to say something hopefully profound. "Well, while it is unusual for Skywarp to be so eloquent I believe he must have practiced what to say in this situation."

Not as profound as Optimus had hoped, but it would have to do. "Of course. His trinemates probably helped him come up with it," Optimus smiled at Prowl.

As soon as Prowl turned his attention back to his data pad Optimus let the smile drop and replaced his mask. Turning back to his own reports he decided not to tell Prowl the real reason he doubted Skywarp's total lack of processor power. The seeker had gotten him to ask himself a question toward the end of the interview. A question that he would never tell another living creature about. Not even Elita-1. Did the actions of the council all those vorns ago really render the Autobot cause unworthy? He knew in his spark the answer was an emphatic no. It only took him half an astrosecond to come up with that answer. However, that was half an astrosecond too long for him to be comfortable.

* * *

Additional a/n: Even the most idiotic can have profound moments. And, I like to think of Skywarp as having just a touch of sociopath in him. If anyone is wondering why Prowl was in Optimus' office it's because they really need to get those reports done. They coughOptimuscough are a little behind. And my other two stories will be updated soon. For more info please see my profile.


End file.
